The Dirty Daltons – Originally Jim Dalton (Jim Baggis) and Jack Dalton (Don Kalt), this team competed all over the United States. When Jim left the team, Jack recruited Frank Dalton (Gene Stevens). Jack and Frank were the team that competed most in the Gulf Coast, holding and early version of the United States Tag Team Championship. They had many bloody battles with the team of Cowboy Bob Kelly & Bobby Fields. They also teamed with “brother” Bob Dalton (Johnny Long) to face the “cousins” Les Thatcher, Roger Kirby and Dennis Hall. Bob Dalton and Jack left the area, Jack changing his name to Don Fargo (more on that later). Frank stayed in the area, became a fan favorite, and teamed quite a bit with former rival Cowboy Bob Kelly. He and Kelly held the Mississippi tag team titles several times. They had a feud in 1971 with a new version of Jim and Jack Dalton (Jim Baggis and Randy Colley). Frank also formed a team with Ken Lucas in the early 70s. They wrestled mainly in mid-card matches. Frank Dalton passed away on October 17, 1995. He was 54. Bob Dalton (Johnny Long) has also passed away. Jim Dalton (Jim Baggis) and Jack Dalton #1 (Don Kalt) are retired. Jack Dalton #2 (Randy Colley) went on to a long career under many personas. He wrestled under a mask as the Nightmare and the Assassin. He was the original “Smash” of Demolition in the WWF, but is best known as Moondog Rex of the Moondogs. 

Roger Kirby and Dennis Hall – The first team to hold the Gulf Coast tag team titles, the “cousins” would hold the titles three times in 1967. They would have a major feud with the Daltons and the Carson Brothers. They also teamed with another “cousin”, Les Thatcher. Roger Kirby would later go on to be known as “Nature Boy” Roger Kirby and compete in the Central States area. He also held the NWA Jr. Heavyweight title in the early 70s. Dennis Hall would form a successful team with Ken Lucas, they held the Tennessee versions of the Southern and World tag titles in the late 60s, and the United States tag titles in the Gulf Coast in 1974. Les Thatcher stayed in wrestling as an announcer, promoter and wrestler. Today, he runs Heartland Wrestling Association.

Don and Ron Carson  – Don Carson (Don Gaston) and Ron Carson (Dick Murdoch) held the Gulf Coast tag team titles three times in 1967, winning and losing to the team of Roger Kirby and Dennis Hall. Don Carson became a well traveled singles wrestler and formed successful tag teams across the country with wrestlers as varied as Dick Dunn, Freddie Blassie and Bobby Shane. Don also became a successful wrestling manager. Today he is retired and living in San Antonio, Texas. Ron Carson would go on to fame under his real name, Dick Murdoch. He formed a very successful tag team with Dusty Rhodes as the Texas Outlaws. He held many singles titles as well. Murdoch passed away on June 15, 1996 at the age of 49.  

Rip and Tim Tyler – Rip Tyler (Dean Vaughn) and Tim Tyler (Marvin Hickman) held the Gulf Coast tag titles in July of 1967. Tim was injured and left the area, only to be replaced with Randy Tyler (Carl Reed). Rip and Randy held the Gulf Coast titles in October of 1967. In 1975, Rip would team with Randy Tyler Jr. (Randy Rice).  

Billy and Jimmy Hines – The Hines boys, “Billy Boy” and “Bad Boy” (Billy and Jimmy Yow) were a rough and tumble team that held many titles throughout the South, although none in the Gulf Coast. They held tag titles in Georgia and Tennessee (including the World tag titles). Jimmy Hines died in 1983, Billy in 1993.  

The Interns – This mask tag team were two-time Gulf Coast tag team champs in 1968. Managed by the famous (or infamous) Dr. Jerry Graham, these were not the better known team of Interns managed by Dr. Ken Ramey (Jim Starr and Billy Garrett). These Interns were Mobile natives Bill Bowman and Joe Turner. Real life half brothers, Bowman and Turner also competed as Bill and Joe Sky.  

Ken and Chris Lucas – Ken and Chris Lucas held the Gulf Coast tag titles in May of 1969. Ken Lucas’ career is well known throughout the Gulf Coast. Chris Lucas went on to be better known in Indiana as “Golden Boy” Paul Christy.  

Cowboy Bob Kelly and Bobby Fields – This team won the Gulf Coast tag team titles in September of 1968. They also held the Mississippi Tag Team titles in 1972 and the Gulf Coast tag team titles again in 1975.  

Mitsu and Sugi Sito – This Japanese duo held the Gulf Coast tag titles in February of 1969. Not much else is known about them. 

Don Carson and Dick Dunn – This perennial team was a favorite of the Gulf Coast fans. Combining the quick scientific skills of Dunn with Carson’s brawling style, they held the Gulf Coast tag team titles twice in 1969. They also held the Tennessee versions of the Southern and World tag titles (Dunn as the masked Red Shadow). They also toured Australia as a team. They continued to team off and on until the early 1970s. Dick Dunn, whose real name was Richard Demonbreun, passed away on July 6, 1995. He was 65. 

Rocket and Flash Monroe – The younger “brothers” of Sputnik Monroe (Rock Baumbraugh), Rocket (Maury High) and Flash (Gino Sanizzaro) were the most successful team in the Gulf Coast in the sixties. They held the Gulf Coast tag team titles on five separate occasions. They also had good runs as a team in Georgia and Florida. Rocket and Flash were also two-time United States tag team champions in the Gulf Coast in the early 1970s. In 1973, they were joined in the Gulf Coast by Sputnik and “Soul Brother Monroe”, Norvel Austin. As singles, Rocket held the Gulf Coast title three times and the Mississippi title. Flash was a two-time Gulf Coast champ and also held the Alabama title. Today, Rocket is retired and living in Jonesboro, Georgia. Sputnik is retired and living in Texas. Norvel is retired and living in Pensacola, Florida. Flash, who also wrestled as Gene Dundee, passed away on November 27, 1994. He was 52.  

The Seventies:

Terry Garvin and Bobby Shane – These two bleached blondes were managed by Terry’s teenage “brother” Jimmy Garvin. They had many battles with Cowboy Bob Kelly and Frank Dalton over the Mississippi tag titles, but failed to win them. Terry and Jimmy left the area in early 1971, while Shane stayed until the summer of 1971 before he left for Florida. Terry Garvin (Terry Joyal) would go on to team in Oklahoma with Duke Myers (they held the Oklahoma version of the U.S. tag titles) and in Georgia with another “brother” Ronnie Garvin (Roger Barnes). He became a road agent for the WWF after retiring from active competition. Terry passed away on August 18, 1998 at the age of  61.  

Bobby Shane (Robert Schoenberger) was killed in an airplane crash in Tampa, Florida on February 20, 1975. He was 29 years old. Jimmy Garvin (James Williams) continued to manage his brothers. He also managed Ray Stevens in Florida under the name “Beau James”. He became quite a wrestler in his own right, holding many titles including American and Florida Heavyweight titles. He and Steve Regal were the AWA tag team champions, and Jimmy and Michael Hayes (as the final version of the Fabulous Freebirds) held the NWA U.S. tag titles. Today, Jimmy lives in North Carolina and is an airline pilot.  

Eddie Sullivan and “Dandy” Jack Morrell – These two wrestled in Tennessee as the masked Mighty Yankees. Sullivan came into the Gulf Coast teaming with Leon “Tarzan” Baxter as the Wrestling Pros. After unmasking and splitting with the Pro (Baxter), Sullivan recruited his old friend Morrell (Frank Morrell). After several months as a team, Morrell left and returned to Tennessee, where he worked under several personas. After he retired from active competition, Morrell served as a referee and road agent for Jerry Jarrett’s Memphis promotion. Sullivan went on to form a team with Rip Tyler.  

The Great Ota and Mr. Koma – Known collectively as “The Japanese Rising Suns”, this crafty duo entered the Gulf Coast area in the spring of 1971 recognized as the United States tag team champions. They plowed through many teams before losing the titles to Mike Boyette and the Wrestling Pro. They left the area and never returned.

The Untouchables – This masked team lost many more matches than they won, but always gave a good account of themselves. Under the masks were Frank Martinez and Karl von Stroheim.  

Mike “Hippie” Boyette and Calvin “Prince” Pullins – One of the most popular teams in the Gulf Coast, the “Prince” and the “Hippie” were two-time United States tag champs. However, in the middle of their second reign, Pullins turned on Boyette. In a tag team match to decide new champs, Pullins and Bobby Shane were defeated by the team of Boyette and Cowboy Bob Kelly.  

The Alaskans (Mike York and Frank Monte) – When these hated team defeated Mike Boyette and Prince Pullins for the United Stated tag titles, they seemed unbeatable. They went on to hold the belts for nearly 4 months before losing them back to Pullins and Boyette. After dropping the titles they left the area.  

Rip Tyler and the Wrestling Pro – This team was brought together through a mutual association with Eddie Sullivan, who served as the team’s manager. Sullivan had been teaming with Tyler when he suffered a broken leg. He recruited old partner the Wrestling Pro to take his place as Tyler’s partner. The Tyler/Pro team had many battles with the team of Ken Lucas and Frank Dalton, but always prevailed due to Sullivan’s interference. Once Sullivan’s leg healed, he and Tyler reformed their team, but the Pro remained a close ally. 

Rip Tyler and Eddie Sullivan – Probably the greatest team to ever work in the Gulf Coast. Rip and Eddie held titles in the Gulf Coast, the Pacific Northwest, Oklahoma and a version of the World’s tag titles in Japan. They teamed off and on for nearly 20 years. A full history of this great team can be found in Gulf Coast Installment #5.  

Arman Hussein and the Mysterious Medic – Arman Hussein (Mike Barber) was involved in a heated feud with Rip Tyler and Eddie Sullivan and went through several partners in order to beat the team. Finally he brought it the Mysterious Medic (Tony Gonzales), a hated mask man that had been gone from the area for a couple of years. He and the Medic fought many matches with Tyler and Sullivan, winning many of them.

The Fabulous Fargos – Donnie (Don Kalt) and Johnny (John Wisniski, Jr.) were quite a team. Donnie had been in the Gulf Coast earlier as Jack Dalton and had teamed in the fifties and early sixties with “brothers” Jackie Fargo and Roughhouse Fargo (Jack and Sonny Faggart) in Tennessee. Donnie came into the Gulf Coast as a solo in late 1971, quickly winning the Gulf Coast title. At one point he was suspended by matchmaker Bob Kelly for his continuous foul tactics. He  returned under a mask calling himself “Mr. D”. He also had in tow a masked partner called “The Black Baron”. Both men ended up being unmasked by Kelly. Thus was born the Fabulous Fargos. The Fargos had many rough matches with U.S. tag champs, Kelly and Mike Boyette, but failed to win the titles. Johnny left the area, followed by Donnie several months later. They teamed again in New York and then Texas. Johnny finally started using the name, Greg Valentine (son of the great Johnny Valentine AKA John Wisniski Sr.), and went on to an illustrious career. Donnie continued wrestling throughout the U.S. and is now retired and living in Pensacola, Florida. Greg is living in Tampa, Florida and is a part of the new XWF promotion.  

The Spoiler and Jerry Lawler – This team arrived in late 1972. The Spoiler was instantly recognized by the fans to be the Big Blue Yankee (Curtis Smith). The young Jerry Lawler left after a couple of months and went on to make a name for himself in his native Memphis. The Spoiler stayed and formed various teams with Gorgeous George Jr., The Wrestling Pro and finally Spoiler #2. Over time, the Spoiler was also known as the Inferno, the Mighty Yankee, the Challenger and finally the Blue Yankee again in the Gulf Coast area. Today, Curtis Smith is retired and lives in Carrollton, Georgia.  

The California Hippies (Mike Boyette and Mickey Doyle) – Perhaps the most popular tag team ever in the Gulf Coast. Mike Boyette had been in the Gulf Coast since early 1970 and had teamed with many partners to varying degrees of success. Finally he found the partner he had been looking for in Mickey Doyle. The held the United States tag team title several times. A complete look at this team can be found in Installment #5.  

The Rugged Russian and the Mighty Mongol – The masked Russian (Pedro Godoy) came into the Gulf Coast as a singles wrestler. Unable to win the Gulf Coast title, he brought in the Mighty Mongol (Tito Montez) to be his partner. The two held the United States tag titles briefly. After the departure of the Russian, the Mongol had a good run as the Gulf Coast champion.  

The Samoans – This team was neither Tio and Reno Tuufuli, nor Afa and Sika Anoia. I am not sure who they were. They were only in for a few weeks and left as quickly as they came. 

The Wrestling Pro and the Mysterious Medic – These two started as bitter enemies. After six weeks of vicious battles between them, the two masked men in white were convinced by manager Frenchy Bernard to team up. Dressed identically in white, it was hard for referees (and opponents) to tell them apart. They became a very hard team to beat and held the United States tag titles. After beating all competition, they split amicably.  

Cowboy Bob Kelly and Ken Lucas – The team that finally beat the Pro and the Medic for the U.S. tag titles. However, they were also the team to lose them back to the Pro and the Medic.  

The Scufflin’ Hillbillies (Chuck Conley and Rip Collins) – This legendary hillbilly team from the sixties made a few appearances in the Gulf Coast in 1973.  

Frank and Jim Marconi – A father and son team that wrestled mainly for Bill Golden’s Tri-State promotion in Montgomery, Alabama. The Marconis made a few appearances in 1974. Frank, who also wrestled as “Gorilla” Marconi, made a couple appearances late the same year as the masked Beast.  

Ronnie and Donnie Bass – The Bass boys (Ron and Don Herd), along with their mother “Ma” Bass (Mae Weston), were the United States tag champions for most of 1973. Ronnie also held the Gulf Coast title, as well. Late in the year, Ronnie left and was replaced with Bobby Bass (Bob Kinkaid). The team of Ken Lucas and Ricki Starr had gotten so tired of “Ma”’s interference that they brought in several lady wrestlers, including the Women’s World champ, the Fabulous Moolah. Ron Bass returned to the Gulf Coast as part of a team with another “brother”, Dutch Bass (Wayne “Dutch Mantel” Cowan). They were managed by “Pa” Bass and held the Gulf Coast tag team titles in 1976. Today, Ron Bass is living in Florida and supposedly has a health food store. Bobby Bass is in his native Ontario, and also has a health food store. Don Bass still wrestles on occasion in Tennessee. I am not sure of the whereabouts of “Ma” or “Pa” Bass.  

Kubla Khan and Gunga Din – From Lebanon, this tough team wrestled under the guidance of manager/wrestler Rock "Mr. Wonderful” Riddle. They held the United States tag titles for a time in 1973. No idea on this team’s past with the exception that Khan had wrestled previously in Georgia. Where they went from the Gulf Coast, I can’t say. Riddle did make a couple of movie appearances, and was last known as living in Los Angeles and was an agent of sorts.  

Los Diablos – These rugged masked men (Tony Russo and Pepe Lopez) held the U.S. tag titles briefly in 1974.  

The Patriots – This masked team (Bob Griffin and Bobby Hart) were a rough team that held the Gulf Coast tag titles in late 1974. Griffin had been in the area in the summer of 1973 as the masked Gladiator. He lost his mask to Ronnie Bass, but then beat Bass for the Gulf Coast title. After losing the belt back to Bass, Griffin left the area. Bobby Hart had teamed previously with Lorenzo Parante in Oklahoma. The Patriots defeated Ken Lucas and Mike Boyette to win the Gulf Coast tag titles (which were being reintroduced after the United States tag titles were taken to LeRoy McGuirk’s promotion by Bruiser Bob Sweetan and Sigfreid Stanke). They lost the belts to Boyette and Bearcat Brown (Matt Jewel) and left the area.  

The Hell’s Angels (Ron Dupree and Chris Colt) – One of the legendary tag teams of the late sixties, the Hell’s Angels made their presence known in the Gulf Coast. They defeated Boyette and Brown for the Gulf Coast tag titles in January of 1975, and created havoc every time they stepped into the ring. They had a wild feud with the team of Cowboy Bob Kelly and Bobby Fields, swapping the titles back and forth. With the Angels in there leather and motorcycle boots, and Fields and Kelly in their jeans and cowboy boots, it was all out war. Finally, the Fields/Kelly team prevailed and the Angels left the territory. They moved on to Arizona, where the became known as the  Comancheros.  After splitting Dupree went to Portland, where he took ill. Unable to wrestle, Ron served as a ring announcer for promoter Don Owens. On October 17, 1975, Ron Dupree (real name Russell Grobes) collapsed in the ring and died. Former partner Chris Colt moved around from territory to territory (he teamed with former foe Mike Boyette in Tennessee in the late 70s). Colt (real name Chuck Harris) died on August 30, 1996 at the age of 50.  

The Bounty Hunters (David and Jerry Novak) – This team was known mainly in Tennessee, but had a brief run in late 1975 and early 1976, even holding the Gulf Coast titles for a short while.  

Jim White and Steve Lawler – Jim White was the long time partner of Jerry Lawler (Steve’s “brother”) in Tennessee. He and Steve (Steve Kyle) spent several months in the Gulf Coast before moving on to Oklahoma, were they held the U.S. tag titles. Steve returned to the Gulf Coast in early 1976 and briefly formed a team with the Golden Hawk (Tony Russo).  

Ricky and Johnny Fields – These two cousins (Ricky’s dad was Lee Fields, Johnny’s was Don Fields) had been involved in wrestling most of their lives. Both were referees for the Gulf Coast in their early teens and started wrestling at the age of sixteen. They made their debuts in Tennessee in 1973 as Johnny and Marshall Fields. They debuted as a full time team in the Gulf Coast in 1975. Johnny soon left the sport, but Ricky went on to hold the Gulf Coast titles with his uncle Bobby Fields, and with Ken Lucas. Ricky also formed a team with another former referee, Terry Lathan. Fields and Lathan held tag team titles in Louisiana and Ron Fuller’s Southeastern promotion (which had bought out the Gulf Coast promotion). Ricky and Johnny are now out of wrestling and living in Mobile, Alabama.  

The British Bulldogs – This is the original team of the British Bulldogs. Consisting of  Lord John Foley and Sir Edward Heath (Foley’s real life son-in-law), this team held the Gulf Coast titles through much of 1975. They always entered the ring with their ever-present mascot, a stuffed bulldog named “Winston”. They made many defenses against the teams of Terry Lathan and Ron Starr and Ricky Gibson and Jimmy Golden. After splitting in 1976, Foley moved on to Canada, where he became a manager under the name J.R. Foley. Heath dropped out of wrestling totally. Foley died in 1988.  

Randy and Lanny Poffo – The Poffo Brothers, along with their manger and father Angelo Poffo, defeated the Bulldogs in January of 1976 ending the Englishmen’s near yearlong title reign. The Poffos held the titles for a couple of months before losing them to long time Gulf Coast team, Rip Tyler and Eddie Sullivan. The Poffos soon moved to Lexington, Kentucky and opened their own promotion, International Championship Wrestling. Randy changed his name to “Macho Man” Randy Savage and became one of the biggest names in the sport in the 1980s.  

The McGuire Twins – Benny (640 lbs.) and Billy (600 lbs.) (real last name McCrary) were the world’s largest twins. They wrestled mainly as a special attraction. They entered the ringside area on Honda mini bikes and were so large that they both had to stand in the ring because they couldn’t climb through the ropes between tags. They made a few appearances in the mid-1970s. Billy passed away in July of 1979 at the age of 32. Benny retired from wrestling and returned to their native North Carolina. He passed away in March of this year. He was 54.  

Bruiser Bob Sweetan and Gene Lewis – This rugged team had several battles with Tyler and Sullivan over the Gulf Coast belts, but never could capture them. Bob Sweetan did hold the Gulf Coast singles title. Lewis (Gene Petit) would later appear in the WWF as Hillbilly Jim’s “Cousin Luke”.  

Tom Jones and Jimmy “Burrhead” Jones – Known as the “Soul Patrol” the Jones' (no relation to each other) made several appearances as a team in early 1976.  

Billy Spears and Eric Spearman – Veteran Billy Spears (he had been one of the original Blue Yankees along with Curtis Smith) took young Eric Spearman under his wing and the two made a very tough team in 1976. In fact Billy’s last name is actually Spearman, which he “loaned” to Eric, whose real name was Jimmy Jones (no relation to Burrhead). 

Frank and Gene Stanley – No relation to the famous Gene and Steve Stanlee of the fifties and sixties, these two blondes were around for a while in 1976.

The Islanders (Afa and Sika Anoia) – These two large Samoans made there first appearance in the Gulf Coast in early 1976. They defeated Ricky and Bobby Fields to win the Gulf Coast titles. They returned (as the Samoans) to the area in 1979, and held the Southeastern tag titles (for Fuller’s promotion). After dropping the SE tag titles they moved on to New York (as the Wild Samoans) and won the WWF tag titles. Afa lives in New Jersey and operates a wrestling school and independent promotion. Sika runs a branch of the wrestling school in Gulf Breeze, Florida.  

Pat and Mike Kelly – The Kelly Twins (real names Victor and William Arko) were the Gulf Coast tag champs for a brief period in 1977. Pat Kelly (Victor Arko) was killed in an automobile accident in Canada on the Fourth of July in 1988.  

“Outlaw” Eddie Sullivan and the Blue Yankee – A veteran team, Sullivan and the Yankee (Curtis Smith) were managed by Billy Spears. They were the next to the last team to hold the Gulf Coast tag team titles.  

Ken Lucas and Ricky Fields – The last team to hold the Gulf Coast tag team championship. Ricky and Ken also held tag team titles in Tennessee after the Gulf Coast promotion shut down.  

This is pretty much a history of the tag team titles that were recognized in the Gulf Coast area (Gulf Coast, United States and Mississippi Tag team Championships). I am sure that I haven’t listed all of the tag teams that worked in the Gulf Coast area over the years, but this is all of the ones that I can remember. There were other teams that held the titles, but their reigns were very brief and have been mentioned in past installments.

On a special note, I would like to wish Speedy Hatfield a Happy 93^rd Birthday for November 30. (Thanks to Bob Kelly for that info.)

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